Another First Drive Review

[Nextone]

Yesterday afternoon I was able to see several XE's, and I test drove one with leather interior. I really liked the exterior of the car. The chrome accents really add a lot to the appearance. Overall, the car had a nice stance--call it good "curb" appeal. The XE wheels looked nice--maybe sportier than the XR wheels which I've yet to see in person. The wide opening front and rear doors made for easy entry, and gave you that nice sounding "thunk" when you closed them. The seats were comfortable, albeit firm. Driver visibility was excellent. Unlike some other reviewers, I liked the steering effort and response. There's excellent trunk space, too. As for the driving experience, I had no complaints, but also didn't think the cabin noise was unusually quiet. Engine response was fine, but I would clearly prefer the XR's extra ponies and 18 inch wheels.

For me, the little things can be big things. My biggest dislike was the manual steering wheel tilt and telescope lever. The up/down range of the tilt is very limited (I'm 6 ft.) and the manual telescope is too “manual”. I wouldn't care that it's manual, but it has to be fluid and not requiring a two-handed pull. For a tall guy like me, a quick action steering wheel tilt is essential for quick and easy entry and exit. This is the clumsiest such mechanism I've encountered on any car. Way too much effort was required. But maybe it needed a little WD-40.

My other complaints/disappointments are: the cheap look and feel of the carpet; the lack of an inside grab handle to pull the trunk lid shut; the annoying amber "passenger air bag on" light glowing in the center dash; the cheap look and feel of the black plastic inserts on the door grab handles; the flimsy handle for manually pumping the front seat lumbar support; no digital display on the climate control; the On-Star antennae attached at the front of the roof (should be at the back like a BMW); no remote release for the gas tank flap; no center arm rest; no rear seat air ducts; and the cheaper-looking-than-expected plastic along the lower door panels and door sills. I'm also not certain the cup holders are adequately sized, and may be spaced too close together in the center console.

I don’t question the Aura as being the best designed Saturn ever. There's excellent potential here. It just comes up short on the details that make a difference to me--a loyal GM car owner (seven new GM cars in 20 years). I hope the car is a big hit.

[quinto]

My wife and I drove an XR (Saturn of Jenkintown) the other night - we have an L series and it is light years ahead of that car. We are casually looking at family sedans. Overall impressed with the Aura - I still love the 2007 Camry LE V6 ride and engine better - but the Aura comes with more features than what you can get on the Camry LE (no leather available on the LE)

Some comments (complaints may be to harsh) on the XR.

1. There was a vibration when braking the car from say 40MPH and up.

2. When you pull the sunroof shade closed inside the car there are vents in the front part of the shade that allow light in but also let noise in when driving at highway speeds - I drive 70 miles round trip a day - looking for a quiet car on the highway as part of our purchase. Otherwise the car is quiet.

3. On the XR you have to spend $800 on a sunroof if you want leather - no choice. They do give you a choice on the XE - annoying for people who don't want a sunroof.

4. I kept hitting the driver door when reaching down to adjust the driver seat controls. Barely enough room to fit you hand in next to you.

5. The cup holder cover (sliding mechanism that covers the center cup/coin area) seems flimsy and took a couple of tries for it to stay closed.

6. The cup holders in the front seem small and to close together for today's "supersize" world.

7. I thought the front door pockets were really small.

8. The trunk has an odd opening - the height of the opening seems low - don't think any mildly large odd shaped items are going to fit easily.

GM employee pricing is almost 10% off of MSRP.

[jd11184]

I don’t question the Aura as being the best designed Saturn ever. There's excellent potential here. It just comes up short on the details that make a difference to me--a loyal GM car owner (seven new GM cars in 20 years). I hope the car is a big hit.

What other GM vehicles have you owned?

[Nextone]

'78 Old Cutlass (bought used, sold)
'86 Olds Cutlass (bought new, sold)
'88 Olds Toronado Trofeo (bought new, sold)
'90 Olds Toronado Trofeo (bought new, sold)
'95 Olds Aurora (bought new, bought back by GM)
'95 Olds Aurora (2nd one, bought new, my current daily driver @160,000 miles)
'99 Chevy Corvette coupe (bought new, sold)
'05 Chevy Corvette coupe (bought new and used for weekend fun)